


Partners

by autisticblueteam



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Autistic Character, Fluff, M/M, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-27
Updated: 2016-08-27
Packaged: 2018-08-11 10:39:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7888042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/autisticblueteam/pseuds/autisticblueteam
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wash has never been particular good at talking about emotions, never been entirely sure of himself, but for something so important he knows he has to try.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Partners

**Author's Note:**

> Written for a tumblr fluff starter prompt, "I think I love you." Which I may have asked to be sent because I had this idea.
> 
> [Sign Translations](http://autisticblueteam.tumblr.com/private/149525773897/tumblr_ocjev704gv1umch04)

“I think I love you.”

A soft, deep rumbling sound reverberated from their chest, and Wash’s nervous laugh was muffled against the warm skin of their neck as a large hand hooked around the back of his head and tucked him there. He tried to push away, half-heartedly and with only a fraction of his strength, but they met the resistance equally and kept him there, face squished against them.

“ _Hey_ ,” His voice was muffled against their neck, the smile on his face and the movement of his lips tickling their skin, “Here I am, trying to be serious, and then there’s you. Smushing my face. You’re helping _so_ much.”

Maine’s wonderfully deep laugh sent vibrations through his chest, and he felt some of the tension in his shoulders melt away. He peered up as their hand fell away in favour of signing, their index finger tapping their nose and then their index and pinkie fingers extending as their hands made a crossing motion over his head, followed by pushing their flattened hands down the length of their body as if pushing something.

“I can’t, sarcasm is half of my personality,” Wash retorted, completely deadpan.

That laugh hit him again, and he scrunched up as his face as a kiss was placed on the end of his nose. Brushing down over the soft skin between his nose and mouth, the same lips caught his in a kiss. Wash let out a content sigh, leaning into the familiar touch.

When they parted, he let their heads rest together but averted his eyes, “I mean it, Maine. I think I love you. I mean… I don’t know in what _way_ exactly, but… I also don’t really _care_ what way? God, I’m not making any sense. I’m so bad at this.”

Maine made a questioning face, touching their fingertips to their lips then moving their hand down in a sharp motion so that it faced downwards at waist height, followed by tapping the tips of one hand’s fingers against the back of the other. Wash chuckled awkwardly.

“At emotions,” He said, his hands following along, “And words.”

A finger brushed a loose strand of hair from his forehead, followed by the soft press of a kiss. They touched the fingers of their one hand to the backs of the other’s, stroking up their hand until just past their wrist. Two fingers tapped against the corresponding thumb twice, followed by the same hand shaking up and down with two fingers extended.

“Right,” Wash said, taking a deep breath. It was late at night; they were alone; they had no mission tomorrow; there was no rush. So he let his finger trace spirals across Maine’s shaved head; let them lace their fingers into his hair and rub his scalp; and breathed, “I don’t know what kind of love this is but… I don’t care. I don’t need to know because whatever it is, I love you and… I’m just happy that I have you, y’know? And I understand if you don’t feel that way but− _mm_!”

He was cut off by lips on his, the hand in his hair pulling him close, and it was only then that things clicked.

Oh.

_Oh._

Maine pulled away when they realised Wash had frozen, eyebrow cocked and an amused smirk on their lips. Wash was just staring, and if it hadn’t been for him blinking they would have been a little more concerned. Even then, they were about ready to snap their fingers in his face to make sure he was _actually_ okay by the time Wash spoke again.

“Holy shit. I’m so fucking oblivious.”

And Maine couldn’t help it, they started started to laugh, their whole body shaking with the force of it. Wash tried to look offended, but Maine’s laughter never failed to make him smile, and before long he was barely muffling laughter of his own as he shoved their chest. He finally lost it when he heard himself let out one of his signature cat-like sounds, burying his head against their chest and grasping at their shirt.

“Oh− Shut up!” He said between laughs, muffled against them, “I told you, I’m bad at this stuff! I mean, sure we’ve been kissing and stuff ever since that one mission and _sure_ we’ve been sharing our beds even longer than− Oh holy shit, we’ve−”

He groaned, burying his face in their chest and just _laughing._ He felt Maine nuzzle against the top of his head, pressing a kiss to his hair through their own laughter, and he pressed closer with a smile. He felt warmth in his chest and a pleasant buzzing in his nerves, relaxing into the sounds of Maine’s breathing, heartbeat and laughter. He felt himself wriggle happily, heard himself purr.

When the laughter finally quieted down, when he finally raised his head to look at them again, they raised their hand with their two middle fingers bent down but the other fingers and thumb outstretched. Wash’s eyes widened, but then he beamed, mimicking the sign and letting their fingertips touch.

“What does this mean?” He asked as their fingers stretched out from the sign in favour of interlocking with his, “For us I mean.”

Maine shrugged, gesturing vaguely between them both, then with one hand held with its palm facing their chest and thumb extended, their other hand made a back and forth swoop along the length of their index finger, followed by both hands moving vertically down the length of their sides.

A smile spread across Wash’s face as they then cupped the back of his head, bringing him close so that their foreheads rested together.

“Right. Partners.”

* * *

Years later, if you asked Washington what he and Maine were to each other he’d say he wasn’t sure. Partners, he thinks. They were close, they just never talked about it. Not properly.

And even though it felt wrong to say so; even if the statement felt off; even if he felt something else on the tip of his tongue; he just couldn’t figure out why.

He’d lost a lot of memories to Epsilon.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[podfic] Partners](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10876542) by [TwoMenAndAGuava (drakkynfyre47)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/drakkynfyre47/pseuds/TwoMenAndAGuava)




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